6 Jun 2025, 15:31Blandine Damtse, edited by SM CommunicationsGlasgow, Glasgow City, Scotland, United Kingdom
Glasgow Church Celebrates Cultural Diversity With Representation From Nearly 30 Countries
Glasgow Church’s annual International Day Service filled the church to capacity with a vibrant celebration of cultural diversity, faith, and unity in Christ, featuring multilingual presentations, traditional music, and shared meals that reflected the congregation’s global makeup and commitment to inclusive worship.
On May 31, Glasgow Church reached full capacity for its annual International Day Service, organised by the local Sabbath School department to celebrate cultural diversity and the unity found in the body of Christ.
The programme featured musical performances and presentations from a wide range of countries and language groups, highlighting the church’s diverse makeup. Unlike in previous years, when presentations were organised solely by country, this year’s programme also included groupings based on language. These included French, Spanish, and Swahili-speaking families, alongside representatives from Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria, Ukraine, Myanmar, the Philippines, Romania, Brazil, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Portugal, and Ethiopia. The Zimbabwean group, which makes up a significant portion of the congregation, concluded the programme with a skit that highlighted the cultural value of respect for elders.
Throughout the event, attendees learned about different customs, flags, and traditions. Songs and messages were delivered in various languages, all unified by a shared message of faith and devotion—illustrating that the essence of worship is universal.
Following the service, a fellowship lunch was held, featuring an international buffet where members brought traditional dishes to share. The meal provided a relaxed setting for attendees to connect and learn more about each other's backgrounds.
The message for the day, titled “Which Tree Are You?”, was delivered by Emmanuel Odunuga, who spoke during both the main worship service and the afternoon session. Drawing from Jeremiah 17:5–8, he contrasted the outcomes of self-reliance versus trust in God, encouraging the congregation to remain grounded in faith.
Sabbath School Superintendent Rosen Maposa expressed gratitude to God for the success of the event, attributing its outcome to divine guidance and collaborative effort. He commended the strong spirit of teamwork within the department and highlighted the significant contributions of Emmanuel Odunuga in both planning and delivering the programme. “It was God’s grace that guided us throughout,” he said. “It’s all about Christ, not us.”
Among the guests were retired Pastor Manley Phillips and his wife, Winsome Phillips, from the East Jamaica Conference. Pastor Phillips was particularly moved by the children’s involvement and described the initiative as a valuable means of promoting unity and growth within the congregation. Mrs Phillips noted how warmly they were welcomed by the congregation.
Other attendees shared similar sentiments. Mercy, a visitor from Edinburgh Church, noted the significance of the day’s multicultural focus: “It's so heartening to see a multicultural congregation like Glasgow, where people come together in love and appreciate one another's diversity."
Reflecting on the broader meaning of the event, local Pastor Claudiu Popescu remarked on the church’s role in fostering a community that embraces diversity. “Unfortunately, we live in a highly tribalistic world. In response to this reality, God envisions and empowers a new community that loves in a transformative way. This world does indeed love, but selectively,” he said. “The Church is called to be different because God is different. God’s solution to the problem of tribalism is for the Church to unite people from various backgrounds, languages, and cultures, forming a community that embraces differences and loves one another precisely for those differences.”
As the day concluded, many attendees left feeling uplifted by the shared experience, grateful to be part of a church community that welcomes, values, and embraces all individuals, regardless of their differences.
Glasgow Church’s annual International Day Service filled the church to capacity with a vibrant celebration of cultural diversity, faith, and unity in Christ, featuring multilingual presentations, traditional music, and shared meals that reflected the congregation’s global makeup and commitment to inclusive worship.
On May 31, Glasgow Church reached full capacity for its annual International Day Service, organised by the local Sabbath School department to celebrate cultural diversity and the unity found in the body of Christ.
The programme featured musical performances and presentations from a wide range of countries and language groups, highlighting the church’s diverse makeup. Unlike in previous years, when presentations were organised solely by country, this year’s programme also included groupings based on language. These included French, Spanish, and Swahili-speaking families, alongside representatives from Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria, Ukraine, Myanmar, the Philippines, Romania, Brazil, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Portugal, and Ethiopia. The Zimbabwean group, which makes up a significant portion of the congregation, concluded the programme with a skit that highlighted the cultural value of respect for elders.
Throughout the event, attendees learned about different customs, flags, and traditions. Songs and messages were delivered in various languages, all unified by a shared message of faith and devotion—illustrating that the essence of worship is universal.
Following the service, a fellowship lunch was held, featuring an international buffet where members brought traditional dishes to share. The meal provided a relaxed setting for attendees to connect and learn more about each other's backgrounds.
The message for the day, titled “Which Tree Are You?”, was delivered by Emmanuel Odunuga, who spoke during both the main worship service and the afternoon session. Drawing from Jeremiah 17:5–8, he contrasted the outcomes of self-reliance versus trust in God, encouraging the congregation to remain grounded in faith.
Sabbath School Superintendent Rosen Maposa expressed gratitude to God for the success of the event, attributing its outcome to divine guidance and collaborative effort. He commended the strong spirit of teamwork within the department and highlighted the significant contributions of Emmanuel Odunuga in both planning and delivering the programme. “It was God’s grace that guided us throughout,” he said. “It’s all about Christ, not us.”
Among the guests were retired Pastor Manley Phillips and his wife, Winsome Phillips, from the East Jamaica Conference. Pastor Phillips was particularly moved by the children’s involvement and described the initiative as a valuable means of promoting unity and growth within the congregation. Mrs Phillips noted how warmly they were welcomed by the congregation.
Other attendees shared similar sentiments. Mercy, a visitor from Edinburgh Church, noted the significance of the day’s multicultural focus: “It's so heartening to see a multicultural congregation like Glasgow, where people come together in love and appreciate one another's diversity."
Reflecting on the broader meaning of the event, local Pastor Claudiu Popescu remarked on the church’s role in fostering a community that embraces diversity. “Unfortunately, we live in a highly tribalistic world. In response to this reality, God envisions and empowers a new community that loves in a transformative way. This world does indeed love, but selectively,” he said. “The Church is called to be different because God is different. God’s solution to the problem of tribalism is for the Church to unite people from various backgrounds, languages, and cultures, forming a community that embraces differences and loves one another precisely for those differences.”
As the day concluded, many attendees left feeling uplifted by the shared experience, grateful to be part of a church community that welcomes, values, and embraces all individuals, regardless of their differences.
